Overview
Oumeya Ould Albakaye is a senior leader of Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS). He served as a regional chief for the group in Burkina Faso and Mali. On June 11, 2022, Albakaye was captured by French troops deployed under Operation Barkhane in Mali.“France says it has captured a senior Islamic State figure in Mali,” Euronews, June 15, 2022, https://www.euronews.com/2022/06/15/france-says-it-has-captured-a-senior-islamic-state-figure-in-mali.
Albakaye is an explosives expert and served as ISGS’s chief in Gourma, Mali and Oudalan, Burkina Faso.“France says it has captured Islamic State bigwig in Mali,” Al Jazeera, June 15, 2022, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/15/france-says-it-captured-islamic-states-senior-leader-in-mali. The French army stated that Albakaye is believed to have carried out terrorist attacks against soldiers and civilians in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to undermine French forces within Mali.“France says it has captured a senior Islamic State figure in Mali,” Euronews, June 15, 2022, https://www.euronews.com/2022/06/15/france-says-it-has-captured-a-senior-islamic-state-figure-in-mali.
On the night of June 11, 2022, French forces deployed under Operation Barkhane, France’s counterterrorism mission in the Sahel, carried out an operation on the border between Mali and Niger, capturing Albakaye in the process. According to the French Armed Forces Ministry, Albakaye was found with several mobile phones, weapons, and “numerous resources.”“France captures Islamic State group leader in Mali,” France 24, June 15, 2022, https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20220615-france-captures-islamic-state-group-leader-in-mali; “France says it has captured a senior Islamic State figure in Mali,” Euronews, June 15, 2022, https://www.euronews.com/2022/06/15/france-says-it-has-captured-a-senior-islamic-state-figure-in-mali.
France captured Albakaye amid the French army’s withdrawal from the Mali due to deteriorating relations between Paris and Bamako. France’s army has been deployed in the West African country under Operation Barkhane since 2014 to battle the ongoing jihadist insurgency across the Sahel.“France Claims Capture of Senior IS-GS Figure in Mali,” The Defense Post, June 15, 2022, https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/06/15/france-capture-is-gs-figure/; “France captures Islamic State group leader in Mali,” France 24, June 15, 2022, https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20220615-france-captures-islamic-state-group-leader-in-mali. According to media sources, Albakaye will be held by French forces for questioning for several days and then handed to the Malian authorities.“France captures Islamic State group leader in Mali,” France 24, June 15, 2022, https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20220615-france-captures-islamic-state-group-leader-in-mali.
Associated Groups
- Extremist entity
- ISIS
- Read Threat Report
- Type(s) of Organization:
- Insurgent, territory-controlling, religious, terrorist, violent
- Ideologies and Affiliations:
- Islamist, jihadist, pan-Islamist, Salafist, takfiri
- Position(s):
- Leader of Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS)
ISIS is a violent jihadist group based in Iraq and Syria. The group has declared wilayas (provinces) in Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the North Caucasus. ISIS has also waged attacks in Turkey, Lebanon, France, Belgium, Iraq, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Tunisia, and Kuwait.
Daily Dose
Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.
In Their Own Words:
We reiterate once again that the brigades will directly target US bases across the region in case the US enemy commits a folly and decides to strike our resistance fighters and their camps [in Iraq].
Mar. 2023